Page:Shantiniketan; the Bolpur School of Rabindranath Tagore.djvu/121

 PARADISE

BEING AN ADDRESS DELIVERED BY RABINDRANATH TAGORE BEFORE JAPANESE STUDENTS IN TOKYO

'' following words were spoken by Rabindranath Tagore before an audience of young Japanese children and Normal School students in Tokyo. They so truly represent the ideals of Shantiniketan that they will be useful to readers of this book, to convey to them the spirit in which Rabindranth Tagore comes into touch with those who teach and learn in his School:—''

“My dear young friends, do not be frightened at me, or think that I am going to give you a long lecture, or good advice, or moral lessons. I know I look rather formidable, with my grey beard and white hair and flowing Indian robe, and people, who know me by my exterior, make the absurd mistake that I am an old man, and give me a higher seat and pay me deference by 101